


Service with a Smile

by TheScholarlyStrumpet (equipoise)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Bae as a kid, F/M, Fluff, McNuggets AU, just for fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-27
Updated: 2016-02-27
Packaged: 2018-05-23 14:31:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6119359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/equipoise/pseuds/TheScholarlyStrumpet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I got tagged in <a href="http://thescholarlystrumpet.tumblr.com/post/138227418983/emospritelet-evilsnowswan-emospritelet">this meme on tumblr</a> and I thought I'd give it a shot. Hence: Rumbelle McNugget AU ;-)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Service with a Smile

Belle pushed down the fry basket, biting back a grimace. She had finally managed to get past the fact that most of what she served barely registered as “food” in a natural sense. She had only taken this job as a fast food cashier to help make ends meet and save up to transfer from community college to a state university. With her father’s flower shop almost always a step away from bankruptcy, he hadn’t been able to pay her even minimum wage. She knew he wished it could be otherwise, but money had always seemed to slip through their fingers.  
  
At least there was one perk to this job that she had discovered. Her eyes flicked to the big, cartoony clock and her stomach flipped with excitement. Almost noon. Any minute now, Mr. Gold would be walking through that glass double door. His young son, Bailey, had developed an obsession with chicken McNuggets and nearly every day that summer, Gold had brought the boy in for lunch.  
  
It wasn’t the healthiest option, but Belle couldn’t blame the man for indulging his boy. Having his mother walk out had to have been hard on Bailey. Rumor had it Gold was taking the whole thing in stride; the affair with a sailor and the ensuing scandal when Milah skipped town. But a six year old boy could not put on nearly as brave a face as his father. And far be it from Belle to begrudge either of them a little comfort food.  
  
Besides, it gave her an excuse to interact with the otherwise enigmatic Mr. Gold. Being there with his son seemed to open him up a little. She’d even seen him smile. He had a truly beautiful smile. It made her heart skip a beat when it was directed at her. Over the first month, they had graduated from order taking to actual conversational interaction.  
  
Mr. Gold, she discovered, was really very funny. In a wry, sarcastic way that Belle found oddly charming. In truth, she found a lot of things about him both charming and intriguing. He seemed a man of many layers and she wanted to peel them back, one by one. Starting with that fancy designer suit.  
  
Belle blushed as she realized the direction her thoughts had taken, once again. It was an utterly ridiculous crush to have, she knew that. He was a wealthy, sophisticated, recently separated single father, nearly twice her age. She doubted a 20 year old fry cook/cashier would be the one to catch his eye. But still, there had been an element of flirtation… and a girl could dream….  
  
The door opened and Bailey bounced toward her, his dark curls askew and cheeks flushed from sprinting. “Hi Miss Belle!”  
  
She smiled indulgently down at him. “Hey there, Bailey. Having a good day, today?”  
  
He nodded vigorously, then began walking two fingers along the edge of the counter, making dinosaur noises. She turned to fetch the Happy Meal box and start filling it. She heard the door open again and by the time she turned back around, there was Mr. Gold.  
  
“Good afternoon, Belle.”  
  
Her knees turned rubbery at the way he said her name. “Hey, Mr. Gold.” She handed over the boxed lunch to Bailey, who crowed loudly and skipped off to the seat closest to the ball pit, where a few other children called greetings.  
  
As Mr. Gold was handing over a few dollar bills, he cleared his throat. “School starts in a couple of weeks,” he remarked, Ina tone that was a touch too casual.  
  
Belle blinked at him. She hadn’t even thought about that. Bailey wouldn’t be coming here for lunch. Which meant Mr. Gold wouldn’t be bringing him. She tried very hard not to frown, her upper teeth sinking into her lower lip. “Oh… I suppose I won’t be seeing you every day, then?”  
  
His gaze touched on her mouth before returning to her eyes. “Only on the weekends,” his mouth quirked. “Bae…. and I… We’ll miss you.” His eyes searched hers, something warm and wanting in their depths.  
  
Perhaps her crush was not so one-sided after all?  
  
Belle licked her lips, gathering all her courage to her. “Well, we could still… see one another.”  
  
He raised an eyebrow. “You mean without a register or plastic counter between us?”  
  
Belle smiled, shyly. “Yeah. If you like…Um, I know you don’t usually eat here but… I have a break coming up and I’d love it if you’d join me for a… a hamburger or something?” She leaned forward and added, conspiratorially, “I can even get us an employee discount.”  
  
Gold chuckled and the rich sound sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. “I’d like that.”  
  
Belle turned to the freckled redhead at the other register, “Ariel, I’m gonna take my break now, okay?”  
  
Ariel, who had been pretending not to take an avid interest in the whole conversation beside her, nodded, “Go on. I got this.”  
  
With that, Belle rung up a couple employee burgers and finally stepped around the other side of the counter, where a broadly smiling Mr. Gold awaited her.


End file.
